30. Tanner
TANNER
“Will you knock it off?” Deacon huffs as we pull into the Thayers’ driveway and park. “It’s going to be fine.”
“I’ve never done this.”
“What do you mean? Your parents didn’t meet Fallon?”
“Of course they met Fallon, but it wasn’t like, ‘Hey, here’s my girlfriend, isn’t she neat?’ It was, ‘Hey, here’s this cool girl I got pregnant and we’re getting married and also please pass the mashed potatoes.’”
Deacon tries and fails to hold back his laugh, the deep baritone a rumble that’s more soothing than it is irritating.
“Tanner, you’re not a kid.”
“I wasn’t a kid then either but—”
“You know what I mean. You were young and figuring life out and now—”
“I’m still figuring life out.”
“But are you afraid?”
“What?”
“Are you afraid? When we go in there, will you be afraid of what will happen?”
“No.”
When I inhale to add the but in there, he shakes his head. “You’ve called all the shots with this. There are no surprises waiting for us, and if you hate it, we’ll leave.”
“It’s really unfair that you’re this perfect.”
“You can remind me later,” he murmurs, leaning over to kiss me in what starts as a sweet acknowledgment but ends up stealing my breath. I’m panting by the time he pulls away, my face flushed when he rounds the front of his truck and opens my door for me.
It’s still something I haven’t gotten used to yet, but I don’t hate the way my stomach dips when he stands there, caging me in with his presence. I’m momentarily dumbstruck by his dark wash jeans, work boots, and the button-up shirt that is one quick movement from bursting open.
How is he so damn hot?
“Stop starin’ at me like that, Sweetheart, or we won’t make it inside.”
“You’re distracting.” I sigh, getting a whiff of his cologne and going momentarily lightheaded.
“I’m flattered.” When I grin, he adds, “And you’re stalling. Let’s go.”
“Are you boys gonna stand outside all night? Vincent has been itchin’ to start without you.” Flora Thayer stands on the front porch in a light yellow dress, dish towel in her hand, and a mischievous expression that says she knows she’s interrupting something.
And she’s not wrong.
“Sorry, Mrs. Thayer,” Deacon croons with a megawatt smile.
“Psh, it’s Flora or Mama; none of this Mrs. Thayer business.” She acts put out but I swear even in the setting sun I can see her blush as we climb the porch steps. He hands her a bouquet of flowers and accepts her hug before standing off to the side.
Flora hugs me tight, her embrace lasting a beat longer than usual, before she pulls back and ushers us into the house.
It smells amazing, like fried chicken and home. Before I moved to Tennessee, I never would have put those two things together, but it’s like you can taste the love that’s baked—or fried—into everything here.
It’s a hug after a long day or in this case, it’s a man that just wants to be accepted as he celebrates this new chapter in his life with his boyfriend.
Man friend?
Partner?
The official title is still a work in progress, apparently, but that’s fine—we’ll get there.
The long wooden table is set on one end with cloth napkins tucked neatly beside the place settings. I don’t know what it is about it that has a knot forming in my throat, but I have to blink up at the ceiling as I swallow down the emotion.
“Deacon, good to have you, son,” Vincent says, reaching out to shake Deacon’s hand. Deacon returns it with a smile but I can see the barely noticeable tensing of his body at the greeting. It’s obvious only because it’s the exact same reaction I have each time he says it.
Because Vincent Thayer raised his family and owed the world nothing else. But instead of sitting back and looking out at a job well done in his five kids, he chose to do more, giving his time and attention to those who need it.
Like Sorren.
Briggs.
Me.
It’s humbling to be here, to be a part of a family that didn’t have to include me, let alone love me. But they do and I see it in the semiformal setting of a table and the obvious care that had been taken to make everything just right before we arrived.
“You look nervous,” Vincent murmurs as he shakes my hand and grips my shoulder, his touch grounding me and pulling me from my runaway thoughts.
“Just really thankful for tonight.”
“Good, good, we are too.”
“Now I know y’all have been together a while, but I don’t think Tanner has told us how you met.” The question is directed at Deacon who raises one eyebrow at me as if to say you want to take this one? But before I can respond, he turns back to Flora and dips his head.
“He put a hole in the sheetrock at Vetted Paws to get my attention.”
I gape at him as Flora’s mouth forms a little O and Vincent chuffs out a laugh.
“That is not—” I start but then stop because that’s not terribly far from the truth. “What he means is that I needed a little bit of a shove to get out of my own way.” As an afterthought, I add, “Sorren was responsible for the demolition.”
“That is just the sweetest.” Flora hums. “He’s always been so helpful.” Amusement is laced in her tone like she too can imagine how exasperated Sorren was to have to get involved.
“Indeed,” I mutter, thanking Flora as I accept a glass of sweet tea as she motions for us to take a seat at the table. “We’ve been taking things slow. I’ve been pretty far removed from anything that resembles dating, so it’s been good. Nice.”
I take a hearty drink from my glass as Deacon’s hand squeezes my leg under the table.
Why am I so nervous?
“There’s nothin’ wrong with taking things slow,” Flora agrees as piping-hot serving dishes are placed on the table.
“I’ve enjoyed our time together immensely,” Deacon says, the words full of sincerity as he gives my leg another squeeze. “With my brother and Arden settled with the baby, it’s been easier to focus on us, and after a long day, that’s all I need.”
As if this man couldn’t get any more perfect.
Deacon’s smile is soft as he turns to me, and my heart thumps in my chest because wow—this is what it’s supposed to be like.
“I just love seein’ y’all so happy.” Flora sniffs as Vincent pats her hand, and she discreetly dabs her eyes with her napkin, then motions toward the table. “Eat while it’s hot and after, you can catch us up on what you’ve been doing over in Blackstone Falls, Deacon.”
“It’ll be my pleasure.”
And mine too.